The Sword and Laser discussion

I think this one deserves its own topic. I watched the three-episode premiere yesterday. My daughter complained that there wasn't enough action in the first two episodes but she enjoyed it all the same.

These Star Wars TV shows have gotten pretty good at delivering movie-quality entertainment on the small screen. Tony Gilroy obviously is a very good writer and Andor shows a lot of promise. I'm glad there will be plenty of episodes to allow the storyline to play out.

I watched all three episodes and I agree that the first two were a little slow but by the end of the third episode I was hooked.

Disney series (broadly, meaning Star Wars and Marvel both) seem to take the first couple of episodes to set things up. It's a bit of a problem on shorter series like the recent Marvel stuff since two episodes are fully one third of the run time. It shouldn't be much of an issue in Andor with a dozen episodes.

Finished the three Andor episodes available and I think that, although the first two are 'slow', they're necessary to set up Andor's character and situation. The third episode has action but that isn't gratuitous and it flows from the setup quite well.

Doing all 3 episodes on release was a smart play by Disney since they're all really one arc.

I thought it was a great start to the series. I feel this was very "adult", darker and grittier. Big Star Wars fan, so nice to see something different. I think this will help tell the story of what happens with the Empire takes over...and the worlds they destroy. I know it is popular to bash Disney (done it myself) but I do think they have been doing very well. It will never ever appeal to the entire fan base and part of this base will eat itself if it can, but I have enjoyed for the most part what I am seeing.

Calvey wrote: "I thought it was a great start to the series. I feel this was very "adult", darker and grittier. Big Star Wars fan, so nice to see something different. I think this will help tell the story of what..."

Yeah I agree. The tone is similar to Rogue One which I really enjoyed. The early days of the Rebellion are fertile storytelling ground.

Yesterday (epi 6) was one of the best hours of Star Wars. Probably in top 10. Outstanding!

Did you see IGN’s review? Full of praise yet utterly baffling:




Even in Andor they’ve done some heinous things, and to entire planets to boot. But in the larger context of Star Wars that’s a bizarre assertion.

I mean, Alderaan, Jedha, murdering the younglings, Order 66, just to name the top hits. Wacky.

Is that an IGN review or Tucker Carlson's take on Andor? 😉

You just know that Fox and, especially, Tucker would work for the Empire 😜

I hadn't seen it, but whatever. I agree it is Empire propganda aka (view spoiler)[Tucker (hide spoiler)] ....

This show just gets better and better.

After the missed opportunities of Obi-Wan, I am glad Andor has hit the mark of excellence set by the Mandalorian.

Stephen wrote: "After the missed opportunities of Obi-Wan, I am glad Andor has hit the mark of excellence set by the Mandalorian."

True, but they are so different. Mandalorian scratches that action itch while Andor is really about political maneuvering and the birth of the Rebellion. Both are excellent in their own way, which is terrific because Star Wars could really use more diversity in audience experience.

I've also noticed that the score of Andor really sets it apart from other Star Wars projects. The music is all synthesizers, which reminds me more of Blade Runner than anything John Williams ever did. There's nothing wrong with the score, but it does make Andor feel very different than other Star Wars movies or shows.

So far, all of the Star Wars shows have felt like ...tv shows or comic books.

Andor feels like a novel. It's takes it time and allows you to be in the world, it takes it time by showing those little scenes that matter - like the guy and his mom, or Vel and Mon being cousins, that would have been left out in a faster shorter show like Mando or BoBF, it follows multiple storylines that all get their time to shine.

Meanwhile programmers are waiting on a hoped-for sequel, "EitherOr." And possibly a spinoff, "IfThen."

The music is a tip of the hat to the director's Borne movies.

Kev wrote: "So far, all of the Star Wars shows have felt like ...tv shows or comic books.

Andor feels like a novel."

I like this analogy. It’s more akin to old school pre-streaming TV series that built worlds and characters piece by piece, setting up things that only pay off several episodes (or seasons) down the road.

I thoroughly enjoyed the latest episode. It once again underscored the mastery of Gilroy’s storytelling, because even though this is a prequel and we know how Andor’s story ends, I’m never thinking about that as I watch. (As opposed to Rings of Power which has the opposite effect.)

I’m also impressed that Gilroy allows the Star Wars Story Team to give him locations, characters and references that he incorporates into the show. He’s said that he’s not a Star Wars fan, but you can’t tell that from this series, which has numerous callouts to other parts of the universe.

Overall the effect I get is one of “sci-fi WWII”, because it feels like he’s riffing on things like the French and Polish resistance, and the recent mini-arc of being in a prison camp forced to build things for the bad guys, apparently using the template of the Nazi forced-labor camps of Mittelwerk (V2 rockets) and Buchenwald (small arms), plus the prisoners took over Buchenwald when rumors started that the Allies were coming.

Edit: (view spoiler)[I meant to mention the bit where Skarsgard takes the information from his Empire informant and tells him he won’t act on it, because tipping off the rebels that they’re flying into a trap would alert the Empire that they have a leak somewhere. Skarsgard doesn’t let the guy off the hook, telling him the information he provides is worth sacrificing entire platoons of soldiers.

That’s straight out of Alan Turing’s Bletchley Park group breaking the Enigma code during WWII so they knew the Nazi plans, but didn’t tell the army or navy units that were heading into ambushes, because that would alert the Germans that the Allies had broken their codes.

That’s so cold yet necessary. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t make that same call if I were in that position. I’m not that hardcore. (hide spoiler)]

What do you think the parts they were building for ? I think its the Death Star .

Jennifer wrote: "What do you think the parts they were building for ? I think its the Death Star ."

That would make thematic sense, particularly given what happens to Cassian in Rogue One, but I kept thinking it was those braces on the sides of TIE fighters. But you’re right, it would be cruel irony if they reveal the prisoners were making parts of the Death Star.

Jennifer wrote: "What do you think the parts they were building for ? I think its the Death Star ."

The Death Star makes sense in many ways, but I thought they were making parts for the KX-series security droids, the type that originally arrested Andor a few episodes prior. Andor does have one of those droids as a pet in Rogue One so I was guessing that he was going to hack one to escape from prison. (I was wrong.)

The Tie Fighter makes sense, given the hexagonal configuration of the spokes.

The Skarsgaard monologue gave me goosebumps in the last episode. Also, the last line from Andy Serkis just broke me. Ugh!

Yeah, I thought the monologue was award worthy. I can picture acting students performing it for class projects.

I thought maybe they were building something for probe droid arms, but TIE fighters would be more obvious. Yeah, Luthen's monologue gave me shivers. So deep and dark. I hope he wins something for this performance. I also hope we never see Serkis' character again, not that I didn't love him, I just want his denounement to be a complete unknown. So many feels! Love this series.

I love that big honking blue Cadillac that Mon Mothma gets chauffered around in in a couple of episodes. It's ridiculously ostentatious and somehow seems like its design is just outside what should be in this world.

John (john) wrote: "I love that big honking blue Cadillac that Mon Mothma gets chauffered around in in a couple of episodes. It's ridiculously ostentatious and somehow seems like its design is just outside what should..."

I like it, too. The color, the chrome, perfect.

I think it’s one of the few — if not only — aircar/airspeeder used by a major character that has a roof. Every time I think of one of these main characters in a speeder, it’s been topless. Not even a convertible, just completely Southern California topless.

Luke’s ratty speeder, the one Anakin and Obi-Wan steal, Senator Organa’s red Tucker-type one… all roof-deficient.

Tucker


Organa

Jennifer wrote: "What do you think the parts they were building for ? I think its the Death Star ."

We got the answer in the post-credits scene of the Finale

(view spoiler)[Good get. (hide spoiler)]

Andor 1975 TV Intro

It's 1975. A New Hope won't be released for another two years, and George Lucas is mostly known as the American Graffiti guy. You just finished watching the latest episode of Barney Miller.

"And now, we bring you tonight's TV movie premiere. Get ready to travel to a far away galaxy that existed a long, long time ago. It's the science fiction spectacular...ANDOR. Every Thursday night, only on ABC."

https://youtu.be/t9Pccq0DZVc

Tassie Dave wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "What do you think the parts they were building for ? I think its the Death Star ."

We got the answer in the post-credits scene of the Finale

[spoilers removed]"

Mark wrote: "Andor 1975 TV Intro

It's 1975. A New Hope won't be released for another two years, and George Lucas is mostly known as the American Graffiti guy. You just finished watching the latest episode of B..."

You guys beat me to posting both of these. 😎

Mark wrote: "Andor 1975 TV Intro

It's 1975. A New Hope won't be released for another two years, and George Lucas is mostly known as the American Graffiti guy. You just finished watching the latest episode of B..."

That's brilliant. They did one for Boba Fett also, but it's not quite as good as Andor's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CseVA...

Tassie Dave wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "What do you think the parts they were building for ? I think its the Death Star ."

We got the answer in the post-credits scene of the Finale

[spoilers removed]"

I just new it. (view spoiler)[ it helps to open/complete the arc in Rogue One. I just knew it. The irony. (hide spoiler)]

Mark wrote: "Andor 1975 TV Intro

It's 1975. A New Hope won't be released for another two years, and George Lucas is mostly known as the American Graffiti guy. You just finished watching the latest episode of B..."

I love that !